NEWS
NEWS IN BRIEF
Galloway to fight Scottish independence
SCOTLAND
if elected Rector
INvESTIgATION INTO mISSINg
By-ELECTION REgISTER
The Scottish Court Service has
By staff reporter his presence, it was like being in Andrews, some rectors have used
ordered an independent investiga-
Respect MP George Galloway says the presence of the President of their position as chair of the univer-
tion into the loss of the Glenrothes
he will fight any moves towards the USA. He was a giant figure sity’s governing body, the university
by-election register. Scottish independence using the and even seemed large and power- court, to wield considerable influ-
platform of Rector of Edinburgh ful, which he wasn’t but he exuded ence. In theory, the post is the third
SCOTTISh gOvERNmENT gIvES
University if he is elected this week. greatness and that Labour should most senior managerial position.
£12.5m TO TITIAN puRChASE
In an interview with Holyrood go from that to where we are now When Gordon Brown was
The Scottish Government has con-
firmed a payment of £12.5 million
magazine, Galloway launches a with Donald Dewar as the one elected to the post in 1973, he was
towards the £50 million purchase of
stinging attack on the Scottish exception, is shameful. still a student and ruffled the feath-
Titian’s painting Diana and Actaeon, Labour Party and says: “I think
“In a sense, it is Labour’s chal- ers of the university’s senior man-
thereby also securing the retention of Alex Salmond is head and shoul- lenge and their ability to rise to agement.
the wider Bridgewater Collection in
ders above the rest of the Scottish it that turns the whole future of Past rectors of the university
Scotland until 2030.
political class but that’s because of these islands. If Alex Salmond include Winston Churchill, David
the flatness of the surrounding land- chooses the time right and with a Lloyd George, Magnus Magnusson
gAELIC LANguAgE pLAN
OFFERS ‘SuSTAINABLE FuTuRE
scape and if I get the rectorship of Tory Government at Westminster, and Sir Alexander Fleming.
FOR LANguAgE’
Edinburgh University then he will he could win the referendum and And Galloway also confirms
The draft Gaelic Language Plan will feel there is someone new in town. break up the Union after 300 years that he will stand for Westminster
contribute to a “sustainable future”
“I am interested in the inde- for ever and that would be a very in Scotland if the Speaker, Michael
for Gaelic, according to the Scottish
pendence debate and if there is bad thing for everybody. When I Martin, chooses to stand again in
Government.
a referendum then I want to be look at the Scottish Labour Party Springburn.
Proposals in the consultation
document, which the public and
part of it and if I get the rector- and ask are they up to this task, I “You can never say never and
stakeholders are invited to respond
ship then I will use it as a political conclude, ‘no’.” there are some people talking about
to, include promoting Gaelic cor-
platform. If the only thing standing Galloway is standing for the me running in Springburn against
respondence with the Government, against the break up of the country post of rector of the University of the Speaker if he runs again. It
holding official meetings in Gaelic
is someone called Iain Gray, who Edinburgh – a post held by Gordon would be a very bad mistake for
where public demand exists, and
couldn’t be better named, then it Brown 36 years ago – against loyal Michael Martin to stand again. He
encouraging official paperwork to be
needs a bigger hitter to stand up Labour politician Lord George is a very unpopular Speaker and a
completed in Gaelic.
The Government also plans to
against Alex Salmond, and Labour Foulkes MSP and journalist, Ian deeply flawed one and were he to
offer Gaelic language training to staff,
up here don’t have anybody. McWhirter. Thousands of stu- indicate that he is running again
and to move closer to a “bilingual
“I honestly look at the Labour dents are likely to vote online from then it would certainly do the coun-
corporate identity”, where Gaelic ranks in Holyrood and shudder. I 11-12 February for the 50th rector try a favour for someone capable to
and English are both used as official
am sure Iain Gray was the best of in the post’s 150-year history. stand against him. I’m saying that if
languages.
the bad bunch. When I came into While the post has often attracted he stands then I might stand.” HM
Scottish politics, Willie Ross was celebrity figureheads, like the quiz-
CREATIvE INDuSTRIES TO pLAy kEy
ROLE IN SCOTLAND’S ECONOmy
the leader and when you were in show host Nicholas Parsons at St Full interview page 14
A new framework document is set to
support Scotland’s creative industries
as part of plans to boost the Scottish Councils call for new powers in reorganisation of public sector
economy.
Outlining the roles and responsi-
By kerry Lorimer that could be taken on by councils, been local government reform,”
bilities of Creative Scotland,
enterprise agencies and local authori-
Councils should be given powers he said. he said. “We know what doesn’t
ties, it is hoped the new framework
over health, enterprise and the “We might accept maybe work is saying, ‘there are too many
will help boost economic growth for
environment as part of a reorgani- we do need to have bigger units councils, let’s do something about
Scotland. sation of the entire Scottish public of governance, but perhaps you it’. That’s what we’ve said on three
sector, according to the Convention could achieve that not by hav- occasions now, and we’re still say-
WESTmINSTER
of Scottish Local Authorities. ing less councils, but by having ing we haven’t got it right.”
In response to media calls for a councils with fundamentally Mair also challenged those
INTEREST RATES CuT TO 1 pER reduction in the number of coun- greater governance powers,” he demanding a cut in the number
CENT
cils, COSLA chief executive Rory told Holyrood. of councils to provide the evidence
The Bank of England’s Monetary
Mair said economies of scale could He warned against redraw- that bigger councils were more effi-
Policy Committee has decided to cut
be achieved by handing councils ing council boundaries without a cient. “I really want to examine…
interest rates from 1.5 per cent to
1 per cent, despite concerns raised
functions residing elsewhere in the wider review of the provision of just what evidence there is that big
from some business groups that a
public sector. Primary and commu- public services. “One of the things is beautiful,” he says.
further rate cut will not help ease the
nity healthcare, enterprise and the that has made public sector reform “Somebody has to show me
economic crisis. environment were among the areas less effective is the fact that it’s only some evidence that that kind >>
8
| 9 February 2009 | Holyrood magazine | www.holyrood.com |
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